Nitish needlessly dragging BJP into JD(U) conflict: Sushil Modi

Patna: Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Monday slammed Nitish Kumar for dragging his party into the internal conflict of JD(U) and pushing the state into a constitutional crisis for his 'lust for power'.

"A constitutional crisis has enveloped Bihar due to the former chief minister Nitish Kumar's lust for power. BJP is being needlessly dragged into the internal conflict of JD(U)," Modi said in a statement hours after Kumar blamed BJP for backing Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi to cling on to power 'by hook or crook'.

Kumar was needlessly dragging BJP into 'power struggle' played out by the rival factions within JD(U), the BJP leader said, adding that jostling for the chair was being fought on the streets.

Kumar, who was elected as JD(U) legislative party leader, had also said Manjhi was oozing confidence ever since he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi yesterday and sought to blame BJP for meddling in the affairs of the ruling party.

Charging the former Bihar chief minister with being 'hungry for power', Modi alleged that the ruling party has been insulting a mahadalit chief minister for a long time and has left no stone unturned to remove him from his post.

The BJP leader also blamed Kumar for launching 'remove Manjhi campaign' as the Chief Minister had declined to accommodate his predecessor's say on transfer and posting of officials and shuffled certain officials said to be close to him.

This, he said, had invited the wrath of Kumar, who instigated JD(U) spokespersons to make insulting remarks against Manjhi before launching an all out campaign to remove him.

The bid to oust Manjhi from the Chief Minister's post has 'transfer-posting industry' in the background as the Nitish Kumar camp felt that it has been denied its share in money generated from transfer and posting of officials, alleged Modi, a former deputy chief minister.

He also blamed Kumar for interfering in governance-related issues despite passing on the baton to Manjhi after resigning on moral grounds after the debacle by JD(U) in the general elections last year.

The fact is that the Manjhi government committed one mistake after another due to Kumar's interference, but Manjhi had to take the blame for everything going wrong during his stint for which he was not responsible as he had no say on decision-making, Modi said while giving the Chief Minister a clean chit.